Newly crowned FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia will switch attention from the title race to celebration mode this afternoon when they face Mara Sugar at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay.
The Round 33 fixture, which had previously been halted by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT), finally gets underway from 2:00 pm after days of uncertainty. Mara Sugar had challenged the decision to stage the match in Homa Bay, but the encounter now proceeds on a busy day of rescheduled domestic fixtures that had initially been postponed following the matatu strike triggered by the fuel price hike.
With the championship already secured, Gor Mahia arrive in Homa Bay in a relaxed mood and with thoughts already shifting towards coronation celebrations. In a rare show of sportsmanship in Kenyan football, Mara Sugar are expected to accord K’Ogalo a guard of honour before kickoff in recognition of their league triumph , just like Gor Mahia did for Kenya Police FC last season after Police secured the title.
Having sealed the title after AFC Leopards suffered a 2-1 defeat to APS Bomet, Gor Mahia sit comfortably on top of the table with 68 points. Their latest outing ended in a convincing 3-1 victory over Murang’a Seal, a result that further underlined their consistency during the run-in.
The pressure-free environment could hand head coach Charles Akonnor an opportunity to rotate his squad and give playing time to those who have featured less this season. It also remains a potentially special occasion for senior figures within the squad, including captain Philemon Otieno and long-serving midfielder Ernest Wendo, should they feature during the afternoon clash.
For Wendo, this season’s success already marks his eighth league title with Gor Mahia, highlighting his enduring presence in one of the club’s most successful modern eras.
Off the pitch, the title victory also carries major financial reward. The FKF Premier League champions are set to pocket Ksh. 15 million in prize money, while Gor Mahia are also expected to receive an additional Ksh.6 million bonus through a separate agreement with shirt sponsors SportPesa tied to winning the league bringing the Total of Ksh. 21 million in Prize money.
Mara Sugar head into the contest sitting 11th on the table with 43 points. They come into the fixture after a narrow 1-0 loss to Mathare United, but will still be eager to finish the campaign strongly against the champions.
The first meeting between the two sides ended in a dominant 3-0 win for Gor Mahia courtesy of goals from Felix Oluoch Mboya, Sharif Musa and Samuel Kapen. This afternoon, however, the spotlight is likely to fall less on the result and more on the atmosphere surrounding a club once again celebrating its place at the summit of Kenyan football.
